sabato 29 dicembre 2012

Leila Mourad was born in Al Daher, Cairo on February 17, 1918 to an Egyptian father of Iraqi Jewish descent, Zaki Mourad, a respected singer, musician, and religious cantor or Hazan in the twenties, and to a Jewish mother of Polish descent, Gamilah Salmon, who gave birth as well to Isak, Ibrahim, Malak, Mounir and Samihah Mourad. Her brother Mounir Mourad was an actor and composer.

The Egyptian Jewish composer Dawood Hosni, who composed the first Operetta in the Arabic language, helped start Leila Mourad's career by composing two songs for her: "Hairana Leh Bein El-Eloub" (Why can't you choose from among lovers), and "Howa el dala'a ya'ani khessam" (Does daliance mean avoiding me?). Further success came when the prominent Egyptian composer Mohammed Abdel Wahab heard her singing and gave her a role in his film Yahia el Hob (Viva Love!) in 1938.

In 1953, she was selected, over Umm Kulthum, as the official singer of the Egyptian revolution. Shortly thereafter, a rumor that Mourad had visited Israel, where she had family, and donated money to its military, raised suspicions of spying and caused some Arab radio stations to boycott her. She denied these allegations and when called for judicial investigations, maintained her innocence all along, declaring, "I am an Egyptian Muslim". No proof was found that she had contributed money to Israel's military; the Egyptian government investigated and concluded that the charges against the singer were without foundation. . Though, she has likely sent money to and been in contact with her family in Israel. It was customary for Egyptian Jews to clandestinely exchange gifts with their families in Israel through intermediaries in France or other European countries. It was also rumored that she met in Paris with members of her family living in Israel, an illegal act in Egypt as Nasser's govenment forbade residents of Egypt from contacting Israelis.

Some historians claim that Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser insisted that Syria end their boycott of her songs and films. Yet, these efforts were likely perfunctory. Nasser clearly preferred Umm Kulthu over Leila Mourad. Shortly after Gamal Abdel Nasser came to power by staging a coup d'état against Mohamed Naguib, Leila Mourad ended her career abruptly without giving an explanation. At the same time, Umm Kulthum came out with a song "Ya Gamal ya methal el wataniya", "Oh Gamal, you are the prime example of patriotism." This coincidence of event suggests that Nasser, who considered Egyptian Jews foreigners and under whose rule the remaining Jewish community was dispersed from Egypt, might have ended Laila's career to ascertain that a Jewish artist is never a threat to an authentically Egyptian one, as her selection over Um Kulthum in 1953 might indicate. As Egyptians would overvhelmingly agree that no one could plausibly be a threat to Um Kulthum, "Kawkab el Shark", Nasser's measure against Laila is probably part of his wider determined and successful effort to expunge Jewish existence in public life, and later, any life in Egypt.

Nevertheless, Laila Murad remained popular and beloved by Egyptian Muslims and non-Muslims, even as the public never took her conversion as credible, but rather as an attempt at not losing her popularity; Egyptians tend not take seriously the religious conviction of actresses in romantic roles, and belly dancers. Nor did her assumed affection for Israel ever hurt her; in a society where religious identity is paramount and overshadows all other identities, including Egyptian national and professional identities, it was only seen as normal that a Jewish star would have a place in her heart for the newly reestablished and only Jewish state on the planet. This is all the more plausible as Egyptians assumed that every Jew had family in Israel.

Leila Mourad's relationship with her family was not an easy one, possibly due to her conversion to Islam. Between 1967 and 1970, Hundreds of Egyptian Jewish males were deported to the detention camps of Abu Zaabal and Tura, including Leila's brother, Isak Zaki. Families of the detainees were allowed to visit beginning in 1968, and some noted that Leila was never seen visiting her brother.

Leila Mourad made a few brief reappearances during Ramadan in 1970, when she was scheduled to read Salah Jaheen's "Fawazeer Ramadan" (Ramadan' puzzles), a daily traditional radio program held during the Holy month of Ramadan.

Leila Mourad, the attractive Egyptian star and singer, died in a hospital in Cairo in 1995.

giovedì 27 dicembre 2012

Samira Said was born and raised in Rabat, Morocco. She began singing at the age of 9 and she was discovered on a music program on Royal Moroccan TV, "Mawaheb," alongside another popular singer, Aziza Jalal, when she was 17. She was quickly recognized as a young prodigy. She began singing professionally, encouraged by her family and backed up by important people in the Moroccan music scene like Al Rashdi and others.

In a short time, Samira Said became one of the leading names in her home country, recording many popular Arab songs such as "Kifash Tlakina" ("How we Met"), "Fayetli sheftek shi marra" ("I've seen you once") and "Sarkouh" ("They Stole Him"), not to mention "Al Behhara" ("Mariners"). Her best known singles at this time included "Maghlouba" ("Beaten") and "Wa'ady" ("My Love").

Samira represented Morocco in the Eurovision Song Contest 1980 singing 'Bitaqat Hub', a song that was a messenger of peace in the midst of Arab-Israeli tensions. The song placed 18th out of 19 contestants, and so far, has been the only entry by Morocco (or any other Arab country) at Eurovision.

Thriving in the Moroccan music scene, Samira decided to turn her past failure into a constructive experience. Already an authority in the Moroccan music scene and with good personal savings, Samira Bensaid traveled to Egypt, the epicentre of art and Arab songs in the pre-oil era. There, she started another chapter of her singing and artistic career.

Samira connected with the Arab singer Abdul Halim Hafez and Abdul Wahhab, to finally meet Baligh Hamdi. Her financial status also made her transition to Egypt a smooth one. In Egypt, she could choose the right composers for her songs. But her transition to Egypt was welcomed with some unease amongst the Moroccan public. She stayed a regular visitor to Moroccan music festivals and sung fully in Egyptian.

Once in Cairo, In the early 1975s, Said recorded "Al hob Elli Ana Aichah", a song composed by Mohamad Sultan. She went on to record with significant influences in the Egyptian music scene, including Baligh Hamdi, Helmi Bakr and Mohamad Al-Mouji.

Said's idol and close friend Abdel Halim Hafez encouraged Said to expand her career in which she followed and did.

In 1980 Said sang Morocco's only entry in the Eurovision Song Contest. The song, "Bitaqat Hub" ("Love Message"), written by Malou Rouanne and composed by Abdel Ati Amenna came 18th out of the 19 competing countries.

Said's performance of "Alemnah Al hob", on Layali Television in 1980, is credited with making her well known in Egypt. Said is known for her selectivity of both songs and accompanists, having worked with several well-known composers and lyricists. As a result, many of her songs have won critical acclaim, including "Asmar malak", "Malak moch zay aweydak", "Sayidati anissati sadati", "Ech gab li gab", "El Leila dee", "Min ghir sabab", "Amrak ajib", "Al gani Baad Yomeen", "Mosh Hatnazel Anak" and "Alf Leila wal Leila".

She continued to release material including “Aiwa Bashta’lak Sa’at” ("Yes, sometimes I miss you"), a sultry jazz track and “Oyoonak Alit” ("Your eyes say so") and Al Gani Ba’d yomein ("He came two days later").

Said's work drew upon and crossed many musical styles and genres ensuring the continued expasion of her fanbase. A significant change in direction came with the release of “Al Bal” ("On my mind"). The title track was popular in the Arab world along with other tracks such as “Halit Malal” ("Situation of Boredom") and the “Beteegee witimshee” ("You come and you go".) On the subsequent "Rohi" ("My soul") album, Said continued to collaborate with new producers and lyricists experimenting with sounds influenced by her Moroccan heritage.

In 2000, she released the single “Lailah Habibi,” ("One night, my love") which went on to win the best video award in the Arab world for 2001 . The album of the same name contained ballads such as “Te’dar Te’oli” ("Can you tell me?"), jazz influenced numbers like “Malee,” ("What's it got to do with me?") and traditional Arab songs including “Beyban Alaya” ("It shows in me").

Her popularity continued to rise in 2002 with the release of “Youm Wara Youm” ("Day after Day") by the commercial “Alam El Phan” record company. The title track of the same name, is a collaboration with Cheb Mami. Launched in Virgin Megastores in Dubai and Beirut, the album went on to achieve further international recognition.

In 2003, Samira Said won a World Music Awards. The 2003 World Music Awards (15th annual 2003 World Music Awards) were held on 12 October 2003 in Monaco. Awards are given based on worldwide sales figures for that year. Samira won also the BBC Awards for world music for the best artist in the Middle East with her album 'Youm Wara Youm'. In fact, Samira Said has won more than 40 awards around the Arab World.

In the summer of 2005 Said performed at the Carthage Festival in Tunisia, singing a collection of songs in dialects varying from Moroccan to Egyptian and Lebanese. She followed this success with 'Aweeny Beek' ("Make me stronger") which had its title track shot in Barcelona (Spain) and went on to sell more than 5,600,000 copies.

In January 2006, she sang 'Kollena Ensan' ("We are all human") in French, English, and Arabic during the African Cup Of Nations in Cairo. Samira Said has significantly supported AIDS awareness in the Arab world, as well as rallying European and African stars to raise funds for earthquake victims across North Africa.

Samira has performed across the world, raising awareness of significant issues, the latest being HIV/AIDS. She performed in front of Pope John Paul II at the Vatican and gave support to out-of-status immigrants in ill-served suburbs in France. She has also sung for the people of Gaza and supported a Jewish-Arab understanding. Samira Said is a proud custodian of peace and intercultural, interreligious understanding and has throughout adopted a neutral stand towards Egyptian papparazzi. She's also respected and strongly admired by her host country Egypt where she's become almost at home and to whom she has shown a lot of love, attachment and gratitude. This country has shaped her international career and has boosted her international career, rounding off her musical talents emerging since her very young age.

Diva of Arabic Music is what Samira Said Fans like to call her. This is due to her ever changing style and image in her music and appearance. Today, she is loved and respected by people from all over the Arab world from Tangiers to Damascus. She has lately been the recipient of a worldwide award in London for best singer in North Africa/ the Middle East and model humanitarian artist. In Morocco today, Samira is viewed as the strong model of womanhood that stood as a great ambassador for her country overseas. The Moroccan public admire her and respect the guts she has had to trace her gigantic paths in the Mashreq (the Eastern hemisphere of the Arab world.) After all, as Abdul Wahhab the genius composer and singer of Egypt once said in a TV interview,

"Samira is the epitome of extreme intelligence in her ability to assimilate Mashriqi singing, even though bathed in a somehow different tradition."

mercoledì 26 dicembre 2012

Diana Joseph Fouad Haddad ( ديانا جوزيف فؤاد حداد‎) (born in Bsalim, Lebanon on 1 October 1976) is a Lebanese singer and television personality with Emirati citizenship. Mainly known as Diana Haddad, she is one of the most popular and successful singers in the Arab World and has been so since the late 1990s. She was a record-breaker since her first song Saken in 1996, and she is still considered one of the most successful Arab female singers and one of the best selling singers in the Arab World. Haddad does not limit herself to one music style, she knows how to present a very wide range, moving from the most rhythmic songs to the slow romantic ones. Haddad first came to fame in 1993 when she just 16. While she was recording her first album she appeared on the Arabic talent show Studio El Fan in Beirut performing the traditional Lebanese folk song written by Elias Abou Azala Tayr El Yammameh which would be included on her first album Saken.

Three years later, the release of her debut album Saken, which featured her single Saken, Lagaitek, a cover of Issam Rajji's old hit, and Al-Sahra. Soon, after she became a mother to her first child, a daughter Sophie. In 1997 she released one of the most successful albums in her discography,Ahl Al Esheg, which included the hit single Ahl Al Esheg. She released the most popular pop album of the 1990s Ammanih. In 2000s she released the more critically acclaimed and successful albums Awel Marrah and Diana 2006 . In 2007 Haddad gave birth to her second daughter Mira in Dubai. On 30 October 2008, Haddad released her second long waited Khaliji (Gulf Arabic) album Men Diana Illa.

In April 2009, Haddad was dubbed by the Arab press as being one of the year's most the influential Middle East artists.At September 2011 The International Human Rights Watch Organisation (HRW) has appointed prominent local lady, Lebanese singer Diana Haddad as an Ambassador of Peace. Diana will be taking part in numerous humanitarian and charitable activities that are part of the HRW’s agenda in the Arab world, so keep an eye out for our peace warrior.Israa Khan, Secretary General of HRW’s headquarters in Islam Abad, Pakistan, says that Diana, who also holds a UAE nationality, is known to be a very loving and caring person, admired by all who know her, and capable of making a difference through her efforts to help people around the world.

The Spy From Cairo is secretly Moreno Visini, the artist formerly known as Zeb, who’s reimerged with a new album, Secretly Famous. An effort by The Spy From Cairo to consolidate as much Middle Eastern music as possible, every track focuses on a particular style of music from the Arab countries - all with his signature Afro, Dub and electronic stylings The audio equivalent of good hashish. Ridiculously catchy, danceable and psychedelic, The Spy from Cairo has put together an upbeat album that spans practically every style of pop music to come out of the Arab world over the last fifty years. The production is typical of what you get these days in Middle Eastern pop, somewhat slick and artificial with synthesizer and percussion loops in addition to the layers of real drums and percussion here. The “secretly famous” artist here also plays soulfully and intensely on the oud, saz (the gorgeously plinky Turkish lute), ney flute and a small army of percussion instruments, all of which happily get long, extended solos over the throb of the beat. What’s new and innovative is the dubwise feel he brings to much of this – for example, he turns the Farid Al Atrache oud classic Ala Shan into Egyptian reggae as someone like Mad Professor or Niney the Observer might do, instruments fading up into the mix and then out just as quickly when you least expect them.The originals are just as good. The opening track, cleverly titled Nayphony works a catchy ney flute hook over a slinky trip-hop beat and a gorgeous, classically-inflected Arab melody, cifteli (an Albanian version of the saz) clinking beautifully as the string synthesizer climbs and then fades above it all. The second track is a Jordanian wedding tune given a snakecharmer feel with drum-n-bass production. With vocals and lyrics by guest chaneuse Ghalia Benali, Ana Arabi defiantly evokes Arab pride – and pride in denouncing terrorism – over a hypnotic, atmospheric dance-pop tune.

The single most gorgeous song here is Leila, a tribute to the great Mohamed Abdel Wahab with a long, exhilarating, pointillistic kanun solo. There’s also Kembe, which is trip-hop with oud playing variations on a hypnotic two-chord vamp; Jennaty, a particularly psychedelic, slightly funky number with oud played through a wah pedal; and Saidi the Man, a classic bellydance tune redone first as dancefloor pop, morphing back in time to a mesmerizing jam out with saz and percussion. Plus a resoundingly successful, woozily Rachid Taha-esque venture into rai-reggae. This is first and foremost a headphone album (those ipod earbuds don’t do justice to the fatness of the bass here); it also ought to make a great party-starter (or finisher: crank this at 4 AM if you’re in a space where either your neighbors can’t hear it, or if they’re cool and they might come over and wind down the night with you).The Spy From Cairo - Secretly Famous

lunedì 24 dicembre 2012

Nouhad Wadi Haddad ( نهاد حداد‎) (born November 21, 1935), known as Fairuz ( فيروز‎, also spelled Fairouz or Fayrouz, meaning "Turquoise" in Arabic) is a Lebanese singer who is among the most widely admired and deeply respected living singers in the Arab world.Her songs are constantly heard throughout the region, and still spark Lebanese national prideNouhad Haddad was born on 21 November 1935 in Lebanon into a Syriac Orthodox family of Southeastern Syrian descent, and later converted to Greek Orthodox Christianity. The family later moved into a home in cobblestone alley called 'Zuqaq el Blatt' in Beirut. Living in a single room of a typical Lebanese stone house facing Beirut's Greek Orthodox Patriarchate school, they shared a kitchen with the neighbours. Her father Wadīʿ was from Mardin and of the Syriac Orthodox faith, and worked as a typesetter in a print shop. Lisa, her mother, stayed home and took care of her four children, Nouhad, Youssef, Hoda and Amal.

Nouhad was a shy child and did not have many friends at school. However, she was very attached to her grandmother who lived in Debbieh (Shuf area), where Nouhad used to spend her summer holidays. Nouhad seemed to enjoy the rural village life. During the day, Nouhad would help her grandmother with house chores and fetch fresh water from a nearby water spring. She would sing all the way to the spring and back. In the evening, Nouhad would sit by the candlelight with her grandmother, who would tell her stories.By the age of ten, Nouhad was already known at school for her unusual singing voice. She would sing regularly during school shows and on holidays. This was how she came to the attention of Mohammed Fleyfel, a well known musician and a teacher at the Lebanese Conservatory, who happened to attend one of the school's shows in February 1950. Impressed by her voice and performance, he advised her to enroll in the conservatory, which she did. At first, Nouhad's conservative father was reluctant to send her to the conservatory; however, he eventually allowed her to go on condition that her brother accompany her. That having been said, Nouhad's family as a whole encouraged her in her musical career.Mohammed Fleyfel took a close interest in Nouhad's talent. Among other things, he taught her to recite verses from the Koran (in the Recitative style known as Tajweed). On one occasion, Nouhad was heard singing by Halim el Roumi, head of the Lebanese Radio Station and a prominent musician in his own right (also the father of the famous Lebanese singer Majida Roumi). Roumi was impressed by her voice and noticed that it had a rare flexibility that allowed her to sing both Arabic and Western modes admirably. At Nouhad's request, El Roumi appointed her as a chorus singer at the radio station in Beirut and went on to compose several songs for her. He chose for her the stage name Fairuz, which is the Arabic word for turquoise.

A short while later, Fairuz was introduced to the Rahbani brothers, Assi and Mansour, who also worked at the radio station as musicians.,and they discovered her talent, The chemistry was instant, and soon after, Assi started to compose songs for Fairouz, one of which was 'Itab (the third song he composed for her), which was an immediate smash hit in all of the Arab world, establishing Fairuz as one of the most prominent Arab singers on the Arabic music scene. Assi and Fairuz were married on 23 January 1955.

Fairuz and Assi had four children: Ziad, a musician and a composer, Layal (died in 1987 of a brain stroke), Hali (paralysed since early childhood after meningitis) and Rima, a photographer and film director.

Fairuz's first large-scale concert was in 1957, as part of the Baalbeck International Festival which took place under the patronage of the Lebanese President Camille Chamoun. She performed alongside the British prima ballerina Beryl Goldwyn and the Ballet Rambert. Fairuz was paid one Lebanese pound for that show. Musical operettas and concerts followed for many years, eventually establishing Fairuz as one of the most popular singers in Lebanon and throughout the Arab world.

In 1971, Fairuz's fame became international after her major North American tour, which was received with much excitement by the Arab-American and American community and yielded very positive reviews of the concerts.

On September 22, 1972, Assi suffered a brain hemorrhage and was rushed to the hospital. Fans crowded outside the hospital praying for him and lighting candles. After three surgeries, Assi's brain hemorrhage was halted. Ziad Rahbani, the eldest son of Fairuz and Assi, at age 16, gave his mother the music of one of his unreleased songs "Akhadou el Helween" (that he had composed to be sung by Marwan Mahfouz in "Sahriyyi" Ziad's first play) and his uncle Mansour Rahbani re-wrote new lyrics for it to be called "Saalouni n'Nass" (The People Asked Me) which talked about Fayrouz being on stage for the first time without Assi. Three months after suffering the hemorrhage, Assi attended the premiere performance of that musical "Al Mahatta" in Piccadilly Theatre on Hamra Street. Elias Rahbani, Assi's younger brother, took over the orchestration and musical arrangement for the performance.

Within a year, Assi had returned to composing and writing with his brother. They continued to produce musicals, which became increasingly political in nature. After the Lebanese Civil War erupted, the brothers continued to use political satire and sharp criticism in their plays. In 1977, their musical "Petra" was shown in both the Muslim western and Christian eastern portions of Beirut.In 1978, the trio toured Europe and the Persian Gulf nations, including a concert at the Paris Olympia. As a result of this busy schedule, Assi’s medical and mental health began to deteriorate. Fairuz and the brothers agreed to end their professional and personal relationship in 1979. Fairuz began to work with a production team helmed by her son, Ziad Rahbani, and Assi and Mansour composed for other artists such as Ronza.

During the Lebanese Civil War (1975–1990), Fairuz never left Lebanon to live abroad and did not hold any concerts there with the exception of the stage performance of the operetta "Petra", which was performed in both the Western and Eastern parts of the then-divided Beirut in 1978. However, during that time period, Fairuz held many very successful and record-breaking concerts and tours in numerous countries around the world.

She made her first European TV appearance on French TV on May 24, 1975, in a "Carpentier special show" called "Numero 1" dedicated to French star Mireille Mathieu. She sang one of her big hits "Habbaytak Bissayf" and was thanked and embraced after performing it by Mireille Mathieu.

After the artistic divorce between Fairouz and the Rahbani Brothers in 1979, Fairuz carried on with her son, composer Ziad Rahbani, his friend the lyricist Joseph Harb, and composer Philemon Wehbe.

Fairuz made a second and final European Television appearance on French TV on 13 October 1988 in a show called Du côté de chez Fred. Fairuz, who had scheduled a concert at the POPB of Paris Bercy concert hall three days later on 16 October, was the main guest of French TV presenter Frédéric Mitterrand, today France's Minister of Culture (2009). The program features footage of her rehearsals for her concert at Bercy in addition to the ceremony featuring then French Minister of Culture Jack Lang awarding Fairuz the medal of "Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres". It also includes a video montage of her previous movies and concerts. In that show, Fairuz also sang the three songs "Ya hourrié", "Yara" and "Zaali tawwal".

In the 1990s, Fairuz produced six albums (two Philemon Wehbe tributes with unreleased tracks included, a Zaki Nassif album, three Ziad Rahbani albums, and a tribute album to Assi Rahbani orchestrated by Ziad) and held a number of large-scale concerts, most notably the historic concert held at Beirut's Martyr's Square in September 1994 to launch the rebirth of the downtown district that was ravaged by the civil war. She appeared at the Baalbeck International Festival in 1998 after 25 years of self-imposed absence where she performed the highlights of three very successful plays that were presented in the 1960s and 1970s.

She also performed a concert in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand Arena in 1999 which was attended by over 16,000 spectators, mostly Arabs. Ever since, Fairuz has held sold out concerts at the Beiteddine International Festival (Lebanon) from 2000 to 2003, Kuwait (2001), Paris (2002), the United States (2003), Amman (2004), Montreal(2005), Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Baalbeck, BIEL (2006), Athens, Amman (2007) Damascus, and Bahrain (2008).

Fairuz now works exclusively with her composer son Ziad. Her first album in the new millennium "Wala Keef", was released in 2002.

Her 2008 performance in Damascus caused considerable controversy in Lebanon, given the tense relationship between Lebanon and Syria. Several members of parliament publicly asked her to cancel the concert. She went to Syria where she was received by a crowd of 7000 fans, screaming her name at the borders, as her car passed into Syrian grounds. Mosques and prayers on radio were all held back as Fairouz's songs played day and night through almost every media outlet in the Syrian nation. Radio channels, TV channels, the Syrian satellite broadcasters, restaurants and cafes, and newspapers were all focused on Fairuz's legendary return after 20 years absence. However big the controversy was, it seems it has not affected her popularity in Lebanon as she held the Orthodox Good Friday Prayer Mass in West Beirut as hundreds and hundreds crowded the church premises.

Fairuz's new album entitled "Eh... Fi Amal" was released on 7 October 2010, produced by Fairuz productions and written entirely by Ziad Rahbani. Two concerts took place at BIEL Center in Beirut, Lebanon on 7th and 8 October. Fairouz’s last appearance in Beirut was in December 2006 during the re-make of the play “Sah El Nom” by the Rahbani brothers. Later a concert in Bahrain was cancelled in March 2011. She performed in Netherlands for the first time in Amsterdam on 26 June 2011.

Fairuz has performed in many countries around the globe including Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, France, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Netherlands, Greece, Canada, United States, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Australia, and her home country Lebanon.

Fairuz has performed in many venues such as the Royal Albert Hall in London in 1962, the New York Carnegie Hall in 1971, the London Palladium in 1978, L'Olympia de Paris in 1979, London'sRoyal Festival Hall in 1986, the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles (1971, 1981, and 2003), the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C. (1981 and 1987) among many others (for the complete concert chronology, see Fairuz Concerts).

Fairuz has yielded record-breaking performances in almost every concert she has held around the world. Fairuz, Assi, and Mansour have become the most famous and dominant music production phenomenon in the Arab world, and their music has spread beyond the Arab world to Europe, the Americas, and Australia.

Of Fairuz's numerous concerts, few are officially released. They are the Damascus 1960, Olympia 1979 concert (audio and video released in the 1980s), USA tour 1981, Jarash 1983, Royal Festival Hall London 1986, USA tour 1987, Baalbek 1998 (Video), Las Vegas 1999 concert (on DVD with make over and rehearsals), Beiteddine 2000 and Dubai 2001 (on DVD, it includes parts from concerts in 1997 and 2002 as well as rehearsals from 2001 and 2002 concerts, released May 2008). Pirated versions of other concerts exist: Kuwait 1966, Syria and Egypt 1976, Olympia 1979, Australia 1984, Syria 1985, Bahrain 1987, France 1988, Kuwait1989, Cairo 1989, London 1994, Beirut 1994, and parts of the four Beiteddine concerts (2000–2003), Parts of Dubai concerts (1990–2006), Paris 2002, Amman 2004, Canada 2005, parts of the play Sah Ennawm which was performed in Beirut (2006), Athens 2007 and Bahrain 2008. On June 26, 2011 Fairuz performed in the Royal Carre Theater in Amsterdam, Netherlands. On December 2011, Fairuz performed 5 concerts on Platea Theatre in Sahel Alma in Lebanon, on 9, 10, 16, 17 and 23 December, where the theater accommodates for 4,000 person approximately.

Musical plays or operettas were the cornerstone works of the Rahbani Trio, Fairuz, Assi and Mansour. The Rahbani Brothers produced 25 popular musical plays (20 with Fairuz) over a period of more than 30 years. They were possibly the first to produce world-class Arabic musical theatre.The musicals combined storyline, lyrics and dialogue, musical composition varying widely from Lebanese folkloric and rhythmic modes to classical, westernized, and oriental songs, orchestration, and the voice and acting of Fairuz. She played the lead roles alongside singers/actors Nasri Shamseddine, Wadih El Safi, Antoine Kerbaje, Elie Shouayri (Chouayri), Hoda (Fairuz's younger sister), William Haswani, Raja Badr, Siham Chammas (Shammas), Georgette Sayegh and many others.

The Rahbani plays expressed patriotism, unrequited love and nostalgia for village life, comedy, drama, philosophy, and contemporary politics. The songs performed by Fairuz as part of the plays have become immensely popular among the Lebanese and Arabs around the world.

The Fairuz-Rahbani collaboration produced the following musicals (in chronological order):Ayyam al Hassad (Days of Harvest – 1957)Al 'Urs fi l’Qarya (The Wedding in the Village – 1959)Al Ba'albakiya (The Girl from Baalbek) – 1961)Jisr el Amar] (Bridge of the Moon – 1962)Awdet el 'Askar (The Return of the Soldiers – 1962)Al Layl wal Qandil] (The Night and the Lantern – 1963)Biyya'el Khawatem (Ring Salesman – 1964)Ayyam Fakhreddine (The Days of Fakhreddine – 1966)Hala wal Malik (Hala and the King – 1967)Ach Chakhs (The Person – 1968–1969)Jibal Al Sawwan (Sawwan Mountains – 1969)Ya'ich Ya'ich (Long Live, Long Live – 1970)Sah Ennawm (Did you sleep well? – 1970–1971 – 2006–2008)Nass min Wara' (People Made out of Paper – 1971–1972)Natourit al Mafatih (The Guardian of the Keys – 1972)Al Mahatta (The Station – 1973)Loulou – 1974Mais el Reem (The Deer's Meadow – 1975)Petra – 1977–1978Elissa – 1979 (Never performed due to the separation of Fairuz and Assi)Habayeb Zaman the old friends – 1979 (Never performed due to the separation of Fairuz and Assi)

Most of the musical plays were recorded and video-taped. Eighteen of them have been officially released on audio CD, two on DVD (Mais el Reem and Loulou). A pirated version of Petra and one pirated live version of Mais el Reem in black and white exist. Ayyam al Hassad (Days of Harvest) was never recorded and Al 'Urs fi l’Qarya (The Marriage in the Village) has not yet been released (yet a pirated audio record is available).